Shoe cleaning and sterilizing device



y 3, 1952 R. L. BATCHELOR SHOE CLEANING AND STERILIZING DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 10, 1950 ATTORN INVENTOR 1 bel'zLflafckelol' July 8, 1952 R. L. BATCHELOR SHOE CLEANING AND STERILIZING DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1950 ATTOR Patented July 8, 1952 1 7 PAT Q I .t .r in u sH'oE CLEANING-AND STEB'ILIZI-NG DEVIGE Robert LQBatchelor, Tenafly; N. J-. Applicatio'rfl' ebruary 10, 1950, serial Nok 1 43576 4 Claims'. (01. 21-451)] 2 -'This inventionrelates to sanitatiomgand more in particular to preventing the spread from one dairy herd to another of contaminationsuch as di's'eases'which can be-spread" by dirt which contains germs or bacteria organisms which clings to apersons shoes and then-'- gets into'the food of an undiseased cow.

V On farms where cattlearekept'g'reat' difficulty is encountered in protecting the cattle against various communicatable diseases. This i 'especially true with dairy cattle where the fresh'milk 1 enters the commercial marketso that a diseased cow is a threat to the health'of many-people. It is commonpractice to testdairy cattle for various bovinedis'eases such as Bangsdisease-and tuberculosis, and the attendants of herds *are always alert to the appearance of these and other diseases such as mastitis. "Furthermore, -in the past; hoof and mouth disease has been very serious in some sections'and extra care must be takento stop its spread. "'When' one of these diseases is discovered by a test or otherwisefthediseased'animalis isolated from its herd; and, when-advisable, the-entire herd is quarantined 25 other animals in the-herd are free'ot the'disease.

during a period necessary I to determine that all In view ofthe seriousness of such diseases and the rapidity with-which they spread 'w'ithina herd, the inspection and testing'is carriedfon at rather frequent "intervals and "ina routine manner. Much of the danger of spread of these diseaseshas been eliminated by takingprecau-' tionsagainst any animalcoming into contact with animals of other herds. I-Ioweiver, inspite of this; the diseases sometimescontinue to spread aridj'howhppears advisable to take further precautions.

It has been determinedthat at least-some condiseases will n'ot be spread by dirt clinging to their shoes. It isa iurtherobiect-of the present invention to provide positive means for-preventing the spread 'of':diseas'es :in the manner last referred to. i

In acoordance with the present 'invention; the shoes ofeach person; entering the premises: where aherd is kept is required to clean his shoes and simultaneously immerse the lower portions of them. in a sterilizing solution. The sterilizing solution is of such a character that 'it' kills the germs of all of'the diseases'suchasthose referred to above which'arexapt to .belcarried" on 'the shoes; and; the solution also contains materials' to I keep it from freezing iduring-theicol'd weather. The illustrative embodimentiof this-invention incorporates into a, singletrlay structure; a foot-scraping compartment wherein all'dirt may be scraped from the solesandlower'portions of' the shoe and the dirt and shoes'aredisinfected; and.- there is a second compartment'where-a substantial body of the. solution is'provided so that the shoes can be further cleaned and I rinsed andmore thoroughlydisinfected. Fresh solution is added to tamination has been carried from oneherd to 1 another by dirt sticking to the shoes ofsuc'h people as veterinarians, cattle dealers, board of health inspectors and dairy service 'menyand, then when these people pass from an infected farm to an uninfected one, the'dirt drops from their feet and "may get mixed into the cattles each herd, it has been difiicult tdinsur thatthe hosefreferredtoabove 1 easoiiable prepautions'against: spreading "inludinswashingitneir ands and fin suringthattheirclotlfilig icleania iterthey leave:

the: second compartment from time to time and it overflows into thel shoe-scraping compartment from whichv it may escape. 7

Referring to the drawings-'inwhich is shown a device incorporating the invention:

Figure l is a topplanviewbf the devicerand Figures. 2, '3, 4 and 5 are vertical sections respectively, on the-lines 2-2 33,--44- and 5 5 of Figure 1:

Referring particularlyto Figure lot the draw- .;ings,'-a, relatively rigid rubber'structureis'shown which is'generally rectangular and has, the upper portion ofthe'figure; a mainliquidcompartment 2, and in the lower portion of the figure, an auxiliaryliquid and scraping compartment'4. Thedevice has a rectangular'bottom wall-G (seekFigure 2) '-whlchis surrounded by a perpendicular wall structureincluding a sidewall 8 extending around three: sides of "compartment 2. -Wall 8' has 1 afiange 1 0- at the top which overhangs the adjacent edges of compartment 2*(see also Figure 3) Compartments 2 and 4' are separatedby' a T-shaped vertical'partition 12' (Figure Figure'i-l is-a square sponge rubber'pad 14. .The c ness "of pad 4 1s ,su'ch' that/its up er-em: ac is at fb t oni f fl l a ej ad is smaner thancompartment" 2"in"trarisverse"'dimensions so that a free space I6 is provided between each of its side edges and the adjacent side wall and flange.

Side wall 8 and its flange l extend beyond partition 12 for a short distance along the adjacent sides of compartment 4 where the flange terminates and the wall is thickened as shown in Figure 4 in the form of a relatively rigid upright wall l8. Integral with each of the walls I 8 is a row of. seventeen scraping ribs 20. As shown in the lower portion of Figure 1, walls l8 are curved toward each other so that compartment 4 narrows at the end opposite compartment 2. This end of the compartment is closed by a rather broad low wall 22 (see Figure 2), the upper edge of which is slanting and has a maximum heighth substantially below the top of partition I2. Centrally positioned between and parallel to walls I8 is a scraper structure 24 which (see Figure 4) is integral with the bottom Wall 6. This scraper, structure has a relatively rigid central core 26 With two rows of'ribs 28 positioned respectively along its sides; these ribs are identical with ribs 28 and are correspondingly positioned as shown. Thus, two foot spaces are formed respectively between the two walls [8 and the scraper structure 24; thus, each foot space has at one side a row of the ribs l8 and at the other side a row of the ribs 28. Centrally positioned withineach of these foot spaces is a set of bottom rib indicated at 30 and comprising twelve parallel ribs integral with the bottom wall and of varying length as shown so as to approximate the outline of a shoe sole. Thus, foot spaces are provided for a person's two feet which are admirably suited for the scraping of the feet, as will be more fully described below. 7

During use, a disinfecting solution is poured into compartment, 2 until this compartment is completely filled and the solution has run over partition 12 so as to flll compartment 4 substantially to the top, of, the end wall 22. During this operation, the sponge rubber pad I4 is flexed so that it absorbs asubstantial portion of the solution A person entering .the premises steps into compartment 4 with his. feet positioned in the foot spaces and with his weight'supported ,on the ribs 39. He then rubs his feet on ribsIBfl and the side ribs I8 and 20 until all of the dirt is loosened and drops into the bottom of the compartment whereit is, sterilized anddoes not get out onto the floor. He next steps onto the sponge rubber pad I in compartment 2 and the padis compressed so that thesoles of the shoes are totally immersed in the solution. Thesponge rubber also tends -to assist in freeing any dirt which remains on the shoes and the solution sterilizes the bottoms of. the shoes and the adjacent portions of. the side walls.

The tendency for the solution to rise due to the immersionof the shoes may cause it to overflow partition 12 into compartment 4, but flanges I0 tend to prevent slopping of the solution and also tend to divert theexcess solution around the spaces It to'andover partition 12. 'The flow of additional amounts-of the solution into compartment 4 may causeth-is compartment to overflow so that the solution adjacent end wall 22 may flow over this wall and is, discharged. The side walls 8 and I8 prevent dischargeof the solution at the sides and, therefore, there isa general flow of the solution from .coirlipartmentj over. partition I 2 and thence into fcompartihent 4. This flow,

causes floating dirt 'to be discharged readily from h e e,s resses 2 ser an s n with the construction shown all of the dirt is collected and sterilized with the tendency being for it to remain on the bottom Wall of compartment 4. Under some circumstances excess solution may overflow end wall 22 onto the floor but it should be noted that this is a controlled slow rate discharge and if any dirt is carried from the compartment this dirt has already been thoroughly sterilized. The compartments are cleaned periodically at which time the sterilized dirt is removed and fresh solution is added.

While the constituency of the disinfecting or sterilizing solution and its concentration may be varied in accordance with the necessity for protecting against the spread of certain specific diseases, a specific example of one solution will now be described. To forty-three (43) pounds of sodium chloride 'salt there is added six (6) pounds of trisodium phosphate and one (1) pound of ammonium ,quaternary compound. This is thoroughly mixed and then one-half /2) pound of the-mixture is added to one (1) gallon of water to form slightly more than one (1) gallon of the'disinfecting solution. With this concentration of salt the mixture will not freeze during normal cold weather. The ammonium quaternary compound is an effective disinfectant and in this concentration will sterilize all dirt which is subjected to its action. The trisodium phosphate is quite effective as a cleaning agent and assists materially in cleaning the dirt from the shoes, and it also promotes the action of the ammonium quaternary. 7

Under some circumstances certain features of the construction here shown may be modified or even omitted to meet certain requirements. Thus, for example, the overhanging flanges l0 and 13 may be omitted and the heighth and thickness of wall 8 may be increased. As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The term shoesv hasbeen used herein in its broadest senseto indicate foot apparel and includes boots, rubbers, and the like. While the arrangements of the ribs as Well as their widths and heighths here shown are optimum for certain particular sets of circumstances, it isunderstoodsterilizing the dirt and the lower portions of the shoes, a unitary trayconstruction which has a bottom wall structure, upstanding side wall structures around the edges of said bottom wall structure to provide a liquid compartment for sterilizing solution, a partition structure dividing said liquid compartment into two compartments and constructed. to permit, the liquid.to;-flow from one side therofto Ithe' other-without overflowing said side, ,walljistructure, and scraping meanspositionedionfoneffside of said partition I structure and. fso ;i;arranged1that .dirt maybe scraped from the shoes and will drop into said compartment where it. will settle and be sterilized, said compartment being adapted to contain clean sterilizing solution on the side of said partition structure opposite said scraping means' whereby the shoes may be simultaneously rinsed and sterilized after the scraping operation has been completed.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said scraping means includes two sets of bottom ribs integral with said bottom wall structure and adapted to have the shoe soles rest and be scraped thereon, and side ribs integral with said side wall structure and adapted to have the lower side portions of the shoes scraped thereon. 3. A device as described in claim 2 which in-'.-

' cludes a central scraping structure integral with said bottom wall structure and centrally positioned between said two sets of bottom ribs and comprising a central core, and two rows of side ribs positioned respectively along the two sides thereof.

4. A device as described in claim 3 wherein the 6 bottom and side wall structures as well as the partition structure and the rib structures are a unitary construction of relatively rigid rubber. and a pad of sponge rubber which is adapted to absorb the clean solution and to besqueezed by stepping thereon.

ROBERT L. BATCHELOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,965,558 Weirich July 3, 1934 1,992,648 Browne Feb. 26, 1935 r 2,071,762 Nickle Feb. 23, 1937 2,282,672 Nelson May 12, 1942 2,295,504 Shelton Sept. 8. 1942 v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 9 Date 505,429 Great Britain July 29, 1938 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED FOR REMOVING DIRT OR THE LIKE FROM SHOES AND FOR STERLIZING THE DIRT AND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SHOES, A UNITARY TRAY CONSTRUCTIN WHICH HAS A BOTTOM WALL STRUCTURE, UPSTANDING SIDE WALL STRUCTURES AROUND THE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL STRUCTURE TO PROVIDE A LIQUID COMPARTMENT FOR STERILZING SOLUTION, A PARTITION STRUCTURE DIVIDING SAID LIQUID COMPARTMENT INTO TWO COMPARTMENTS AND CONSTRUCTED TO PERMIT THE LIQUID TO FLOW FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF TO THE OTHER WITHOUT OVERFLOWING SAID SIDE WALL STRUCTURE, AND SCRAPING MEANS POSITIONED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID PARTITION STRUCTURE AND SO ARRANGED THAT DIRT MAY BE SCRAPED FROM THE SHOES AND WILL DROP INTO SAID COMPARTMENT WHERE IT WILL SETTLE AND BE STERILIZED, SAID COMPARTMENT BEING ADAPTED TO CONTAIN CLEAN STERILIZING SOLUTION ON THE SIDE OF SAID PARTITION STRUCTURE OPPOSITE AND SCRAPPING MEANS WHEREBY THE SHOES MAY BE SIMULTANEOUSLY RINSED AND STERILIZED AFTER THE SCRAPING OPERATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED. 